DSLR & airport security

[Erik]

In short: memory cards and image tanks through the X-Ray machine .. NOT in your pocket when you walk through the metal detector.

After taking a few in-country flights in the USA, I've now learned to put my belt & buckle in my hand luggage and to wear slippers on the plane.
Shoes on - shoes off, belt on - belt off... and carrying a big camera bag which makes the X-ray machine go "Ding Dong" isn't helpful either.. on each and every flight they want to take me and my camera bag apart.. *sigh*.

[10Boomer]

I know liquids are a huge deal now but what about a metric ton of camera gear? Has anyone had any recent problems getting through security?

[Tonyz]

I most recently travelled internatioanl in April and had no issues.  In June I flew to Vegas and again had no issues (and getting on the plane in Vegas security can be a pain...)

[10Boomer]

Thanks Tony.

[skippyscage]

my carry on camera bag with equipment goes through the x-ray m/c and not once, either in the USA or abroad, has it been dinged for a hand inspection

[Comet]

No problems at all bringing onboard bunches of lenses, camera bodies, cards, etc.  I have had problems with sensor cleaning solution and my tripod...  apparently the TSA rates tripods as "club like items" which are prohibitied as carry - on items.  However, security has been very inconsistent on this rule with regards to tripods.  Some will let you through, some will not.  I usually try it as a carry on item first before checking it through.

[JRadier]

Haven't had any trouble taking my cameragear with me, the only time I had to open it was because of a stupid mistake by me (forgot to remove my laptop). Have flown both international and domestic in the US and Europe. I think you'll be fine!

[Pierce]

Flights from London to the US restrict the size of your carry on luggage but I had no problem with my gear including a light Slik tripod. Liquids must be less than 3 oz per container and in a 1 qt clear plastic bag. Laptops must be removed from your bag at security and screened separately from your luggage. 

[aerophoto]

No problems with my gear either except at LAX when I forgot to pull out my Eclipse even though it is in its own bag and I followed all the  rules they took me off to one side and emptied all my gear out. HAd to clean out my camera bag right down to the last piece of dust. After about 20 min the security guy told me it was good that the liquid was in its own plastic bag and that I should have removed it prior to the Xray of my camera.

[futurshox]

One thing I had recently, I put my camera bag into the X-ray machine normally, with my 100-400 sitting vertically inside it. They couldn't see through the lens in that orientation and put the bag through again with it lying down. No problem, though.

[cj-ld50]

I have to agree with the others.  No issues with DSLR equipment at security.  I travel about every other week, and can state that I have had no issues domestically in the US, nor at London-Gatwick, Frankfurt, Munich, Amsterdam, Krakow and within Kazakhstan (Almaty, Aktubinsk, Aktau and Aktobe).  The only nervous moment I have had was when a screener at Munich was inspecting my bag after x-ray and decided to pull my Nikkor 80-400mm VR lens out.  As she was fiddling with it, she could see that I was cringing (with nervousness that she would drop it).  She smiled and placed it carefully back in the camera bag.

One word of caution, I believe that you are still limited to ONE carry-on bag departing the UK.  If you carry separate laptop and camera bags, the UK may be an issue.  Can anyone confirm if this is still true?  I have avoided connections thru the UK since February because of this rule.

Blue Skies,
Curt 

[skippyscage]

One word of caution, I believe that you are still limited to ONE carry-on bag departing the UK.  If you carry separate laptop and camera bags, the UK may be an issue.  Can anyone confirm if this is still true?  I have avoided connections thru the UK since February because of this rule.

Blue Skies,
Curt 

Yes but the airlines are fighting it with the BAA as it's causing them to handle more baggage to the aircraft costing time and money.

One piece and only up to 6KG (which is nothing) - they won't ask to weigh the piece if you make it look light   

[Roger]

My experience at the worst airport I've ever been at (London Heathrow LHR):

One bag, they don't care about the weight. I had a separate laptop bag, but was able to combine it with my LowePro Computrekker AW in such a way that it looked like one bag.  Went through without a problem.

But what a mess that airport is... I will try and avoid it in the future...

Roger

[miramar]

Roger,

You are quite right, and I'm embarrassed to say it, but LHR is a mess. March next year sees the opening of Terminal 5, with an annual capacity of 30M passengers. All BA's operations will transfer to T5, and then the airport operator will be able to sort out the rest of the terminals.

They are very strict on the 1 bag policy, it's not 1 bag plus a laptop. They will make you put your bag in a "cage" to check dimensions if it is obviously in excess of 56 x 45 x 25cm. I've never had my bag weighed - they don't have the equipment readily on hand as far as I have seen. Once past security there are no other checks. In fact you can load up with purchases from the shops post security with no restrictions.......

Dave

[Pierce]

My experience at the worst airport I've ever been at (London Heathrow LHR):

I was in London a week before Roger, but flew through Gatwick. The news reported that BA had 22,000 bags that were separated from passengers. A friend of mine who flew through LHR to Nairobi lost her luggage, as did most of the people in her group. They wound up in the bush in Kenya with only the articles from their carry-ons. At Gatwick, it took two hours to get through the passport check. Ugh! Leaving the UK was faster. I had my equipment in a backpack that was larger than my LowePro and it was no problem carrying it on the plane.